Israel Competes in European Beach Tennis Championship in Greece

The 19th European Beach Tennis Championship is set to begin on Wednesday in Crete, Greece, featuring 18 participating nations. The tournament will conclude on Sunday, with the draw ceremony scheduled for later this evening. Israel will be represented by two pairs of players.

Veteran player Assaf Yaakov, 37, will partner with 20-year-old newcomer Natanel Kantarovich, who is making his European Championship debut. Yaakov returns to the continental championship after a nine-year absence, during which he reached the final of an international tournament and two finals in domestic Israeli competitions. The second Israeli pair brings significant experience: 36-year-old Yam Adib, standing at 1.92 meters, will team up with 34-year-old Sagie Tal. Together, Adib and Tal have won three international tournaments.

Beach tennis is a doubles sport played on sand with specialized rackets and low-compression tennis balls. The objective is to hit the ball over the net without it touching the ground. Scoring is similar to traditional tennis, with a key difference: at 40-40, the next point decides the game. Originating in Italy in the 1970s, the sport has seen substantial growth in Israel over the past 15 years, particularly in Netanya and Tel Aviv. The sport and the European Championship are governed by the International Tennis Federation.

"We are very excited to once again wear the Israeli national team uniform at the European Championship," said Assaf Yaakov. "We have a veteran and experienced squad, and we will do everything to represent the country with honor and go as far as possible."

Live broadcasts of the competition will be available on the Lyttos Beach channel on YouTube, and updates can be followed on the Beach Tennis Israel Instagram page.